The Valparaiso University baseball team banged out a dozen hits, but Southern Illinois compiled 16 as the Salukis prevailed 10-6 in Sunday’s rubber match at Emory G. Bauer Field. Valpo received big days from Alex Thurston (Fowler, Ind. / Benton Central) and Alex Ryan (Lake Mills, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran), who notched four hits apiece.   

How It Happened

• Valpo struck first as Ryan Maka (Oak Forest, Ill. / Oak Forest) hit a fly ball to center that was lost in the sun in the bottom of the first, allowing Kyle Schmack (Wanatah, Ind. / South Central) to score on a double for Maka.
• SIU jumped ahead on a two-run triple in the second, but then neither team scored again until the sixth.
• The Salukis added four runs in the sixth and one in the seventh before Valpo got one back on a single by Ryan in the bottom of the seventh to make it 7-2.
• SIU put up a three spot in the top of the eighth, but the Beacons responded with three of their own in the bottom of the inning. Jake Skrine (Longmont, Colo. / Mead [Indiana]) lifted a sacrifice fly, Thurston had a ground-rule double to drive in a run and Brady Nowicki (Big Bend, Wis. / Mukwonago [Indiana Hills]) picked up an RBI on a ground ball.
• In the top of the ninth inning, Trent Turzenski (Burlington, Wis. / Burlington) made his season debut and saw his first action since April 1, 2022 after undergoing “Tommy John” surgery. He worked a scoreless frame and faced the minimum in a special moment as he returned to the mound.
• Thurston singled in a run in the bottom of the ninth to make it 10-6, and Valpo needed one more batter to reach to get the tying run to the plate before the Salukis worked out of it.

Inside the Game

• Valpo starter Bobby Nowak (Cedar Lake, Ind. / Hanover Central [Kankakee]) allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits in 5 1/3 innings to take the defeat.
• It was a good day to be named Alex, as both Thurston and Ryan had career highs in the hit column.  
• Maka continued to rake, picking up three more hits to go along with a walk. He has had multiple hits in eight of his last 11 games. The trio of Ryan, Maka and Thurston accounted for 11 of the team’s 12 hits.

Up Next

Valpo (17-21, 8-13) will host Western Michigan for the final nonconference game of the season on Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Emory G. Bauer Field. The game will air on ESPN+.